The invention relates to an hand guided electrical tool, formed of a housing with a guide part for mounting a drive shaft and an auxiliary handle fixed in position using a locking ring, whereby the locking ring is guided in the axial direction coaxial of a drive shaft and encircles the guide part.
Electrical tools of the type described above have an auxiliary hand grip on the housing to provide more precise and safer guidance of the electrical tool by the user. In order to assure optimum guidance, such an auxiliary handle is arranged in the region of the drive shaft.
Such an electrical tool is, for example, disclosed in EP-A2-249037. Such electrical tool uses a rod-shaped auxiliary handle that can be securely clamped by a locking ring onto the guide part of the electrical tool housing. The guide part has an annular groove into which a rib, arranged on the locking ring, can be engaged for the axial guidance of the auxiliary handle. To provide assurance against rotation the guide part is formed with longitudinal notches distributed over its periphery into which an annular detent arranged on the locking ring can be brought. The advantage of this known electrical tool is that the auxiliary handle is secured in the set position both axially and radially against displacement relative to the guide part. The disadvantage is that the auxiliary handle in the unlocking condition is not guided in any direction and any further precise adjustment by the user is thus made more difficult. Furthermore, the adjustment of the auxiliary handle between the set condition and the unlocked condition is done using a screw connection, which does not allow securing of the auxiliary handle without the use of tools.
A further similar electrical tool is disclosed in EP-A2-132593. Such electrical tool is provided with an auxiliary handle having a locking ring and a strap retainer that partially encloses a guide part. Using a rotary motion the strap retainer is drawn tight by a screw connection and as a result is secured in a friction locked manner by the rod-shaped auxiliary handle to the guide part. The advantage is that the securing of the auxiliary handle is possible without the use of tools. However, the rotation is a time-consuming and awkward process for the user and impacts negatively on the user-friendliness of the known electrical tool.
The primary object of the present invention is the creation of an hand guided electrical tool with an auxiliary handle that can be easily adjusted without the use of tools and allows precise guidance.
According to the invention, the object is achieved in that the auxiliary handle is formed spade-shaped and the locking ring can be pivoted and secured in different positions around an axis of rotation parallel to the drive shaft.
The spade shape design makes it possible for the user to guide the electrical tool with precision and ease. Spade-shaped signifies here a triangular design of the cross-section of the auxiliary handle in a plane running transversely of the axis of the drive shaft, whereby a vertex of the handle serves as the anchoring point. Since the auxiliary handle pivots only around a rotational axis that is parallel to the axis of the drive shaft, the user can easily adjust the auxiliary handle, since with the rotary movement there is only one direction of freedom for the movement, in particular for adjustment of the auxiliary handle.
Advantageously, the overall cross-section of the locking ring providing for the passage of the guide part can be variably set using an actuation element in order to secure an optimum adjustment. When making the adjustment, the reduction of the overall dimension of the locking ring can effect either a friction locked or a form-locked connection with the guide part of the housing. Preferably the actuation element is arranged in the region of the locking ring in order to allow the highest possible stability of the handle. The actuation element should, however, be accessible by the user even from a holding position of the handle. This is achieved by appropriate dimensioning of the auxiliary handle. Furthermore, the use of an actuation element allows the user to easily check whether the auxiliary handle is or is not properly secured on the guide part.
In a preferred embodiment, the actuator element is pivotally mounted transverse to the axis of the drive shaft in order to optimize adjustment of the handle. In particular, if the user actuates the actuator element with the same hand and without releasing the auxiliary handle, such an arrangement of the actuation element is particularly advantageous.
Preferably, the actuation element is mounted pivotally along the drive shaft so that the user can exert sufficient force for movement of the actuation element without having to release the auxiliary handle. In a preferred embodiment, the auxiliary handle is dimensioned in such a way that the hand placed on the auxiliary handle can move the actuation element against the free end of the auxiliary handle and using the thumb can return it to the starting position. In another preferred embodiment, the actuation element is designed as a two-stage adjustment element. In this way the setting between the secured position and an adjustment position is facilitated for the user.
The actuation element advantageously has a contact element that can be brought into contact with the guide part by pivoting the actuation element and thereby securing the latter. In this way, on the one hand, economical manufacture of the handle in effected and, on the other hand, a high degree of reliability is assured, since only few individual parts are employed.
The locking ring is advantageously comprised of several parts, whereby a locking part with toothing can be brought in a form locked manner with complementary toothing formed on the guide part. Securing with minimum operation force is assured by the multi-part design of the locking ring. Furthermore, this design of the locking ring allows a larger area to be provided with toothing, since it is arranged radially to the guide part.
Preferably, the locking part is set against a spring biased force which results in a reduction of the force that the user needs to apply for release.
The actuation element is advantageously mounted eccentrically on the auxiliary handle in order, for example, to effect simple securement of the auxiliary handle on the guide part. The eccentric mounting on the auxiliary handle results in an adjustment option for the auxiliary handle on the guide part that is economical to produce. By using a lever means, for example, the force required by the user for setting can be kept to a minimum; this has a positive effect on the handling of the auxiliary handle.
The locking ring is advantageously characterized by at least one coaxial clamping ring arranged rotatably relative to the locking ring, wherein the clamping ring has at least one clamping tongue that can be brought into contact with the guide part. The use of a clamping tongue assures economic production of the auxiliary handle. Furthermore, the coaxial arrangement of the two rings results in their optimum guiding. Depending on the stress on the connection a plurality of clamping tongues can be used.
Preferably a retaining band is arranged between the locking ring and the guide part, which can be tightened by a clamping bolt that is rotatable eccentrically, parallel to the axis of the guide part. By the combination of an eccentrically rotatable bolt and a retainer strap around the guide part, the auxiliary handle is easily operated. The retainer strap can be set by application of minimal force using the clamping bolt.
In a further preferred embodiment the actuation element is characterized by an eccentric bolt that is tangential to the guide part and passes through the locking ring. The eccentric bolt is mounted rotatably in the guide part. In addition, the user can set the locking ring by mere rotation of the eccentric bolt using the actuation element. On turning, the eccentricity results in a reduction of the dimension of the inner diameter of the locking ring. In this manner the locking ring is set.
Preferably, the locking ring has toothing and the guide part complementary toothing that can be brought together in form-fitting engagement to assure a secure connection. The toothing can be executed, for example, in a saw toothed form over the periphery by ridges or similar means.